# Beluga Whale (*Delphinapterus leucas*)

> The beluga is a small, sociable white whale of the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas, easily recognised by its rounded forehead and lack of a dorsal fin. Adults grow to about 4.5 m and weigh between 700 and 1,400 kg, with males the larger sex. Belugas swim in tight-knit pods, feed on fish and invertebrates, and can live 35 to 50 years. The IUCN lists the species as Near Threatened.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Near Threatened
- **Range:** Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of Russia, Canada, Alaska, and Greenland — estuaries like Churchill and St. Lawrence River.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/beluga-whale/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Monodontidae
- **Genus:** Delphinapterus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Delphinapterus leucas |
| Diet | Carnivore — fish, crustaceans, worms, and cephalopods |
| Habitat | Arctic and sub-Arctic seas, estuaries, and pack ice |
| Lifespan | 35–50 years in the wild |
| Weight | 700–1,400 kg (1,540–3,090 lb); males larger |
| Top speed | Up to 22 km/h (14 mph); agile under ice |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened (IUCN) |

## Appearance and adaptations

Belugas are unmistakable: pure white as adults, with a bulbous 'melon' on the forehead and no dorsal fin. That flat back is an adaptation to life among sea ice, letting them swim close beneath the surface and break through thin ice to breathe. Unlike most whales, belugas have unfused neck vertebrae, so they can turn and nod their heads. A thick layer of blubber, up to 40 percent of body weight, insulates them in near-freezing water.

## Habitat and seasonal movements

Belugas live in the cold coastal waters, estuaries, and pack ice of the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Many populations migrate with the ice, moving into river mouths and shallow bays in summer and retreating toward the open sea as winter ice advances. They are remarkably at home under ice, using sound and agility to find breathing holes across vast frozen expanses. Some populations gather in warm estuaries each summer to moult their outer skin.

## Diet and feeding

Belugas are carnivores with a varied menu of fish such as cod and salmon, along with crustaceans, marine worms, and cephalopods like squid and octopus. They forage on the seabed as well as in open water, using their flexible necks and pursed lips to root out and suck up prey. An adult may eat many kilograms of food a day to fuel its warm-blooded body in icy seas. They often hunt cooperatively, herding schooling fish into tight balls.

## Communication and intelligence

Nicknamed 'the canaries of the sea', belugas are among the most vocal of all whales, producing an extraordinary range of clicks, whistles, chirps, and squeals. They rely on echolocation to navigate and hunt in dark or ice-covered waters, reading the echoes of their own clicks. Belugas are highly intelligent and social, living in pods that can merge into gatherings of hundreds. They can even mimic sounds, and captive individuals have been recorded imitating human speech patterns.

## Reproduction and life cycle

Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation of roughly 14 to 15 months, usually in warmer summer estuaries. Calves are born grey or brownish and only gradually turn white, reaching the adult colour at around five to nine years of age. A mother nurses her calf for up to two years, and the strong bond keeps young belugas close to the pod. With slow reproduction, belugas can live 35 to 50 years in the wild.

## Conservation and threats

The beluga is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, though some local populations, such as those in Canada's Cook Inlet and St Lawrence estuary, are far more imperilled. Key threats include pollution, industrial noise that disrupts their sound-based world, shipping traffic, and the loss of sea ice to a warming climate. Historic hunting reduced several stocks, and subsistence hunting continues in parts of the Arctic. Reducing contaminants and underwater noise is central to protecting the species.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why are beluga whales white?

Adult belugas are pure white, a colour thought to camouflage them against sea ice and snow-lit water, helping them avoid predators such as polar bears and orcas. Calves are born grey or brown and only turn fully white at around five to nine years old.

### How big do beluga whales get?

Belugas reach about 4.5 m in length and weigh between 700 and 1,400 kg (1,540 to 3,090 lb). Males are noticeably larger than females, making belugas one of the smaller whale species.

### How long do beluga whales live?

Beluga whales typically live 35 to 50 years in the wild. They mature slowly and raise a single calf at a time, so populations recover only gradually from losses.

### What do beluga whales eat?

Belugas are carnivores that eat fish such as cod and salmon, plus crustaceans, marine worms, and cephalopods like squid and octopus. They forage on the seabed and in open water, often herding schooling fish cooperatively.

### Why are belugas called the canaries of the sea?

Belugas earned the nickname because they are exceptionally vocal, producing clicks, whistles, chirps, and squeals that carry through the water. They use these sounds to communicate within their pods and to echolocate prey and breathing holes beneath the ice.

### How fast can a beluga whale swim?

Belugas can swim at up to about 22 km/h (14 mph) in short bursts, though they usually cruise much more slowly. Their flexible bodies and lack of a dorsal fin make them especially agile beneath the ice rather than fast in open water.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Delphinapterus leucas.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Delphinapterus%20leucas&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Delphinapterus leucas. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Delphinapterus_leucas/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/beluga-whale/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.